This week, both houses the New York State Legislature passed legislation to increase the number of speed cameras in New York City school zones. The Assembly also passed a bill to establish a demonstration school-zone speed camera program in Buffalo. Assemblymember Deborah Glick sponsored the New York City speed-camera legislation. Richard Gottfried was a co-sponsor. […]

This week, both houses the New York State Legislature passed legislation to increase the number of speed cameras in New York City school zones. The Assembly also passed a bill to establish a demonstration school-zone speed camera program in Buffalo.

Assemblymember Deborah Glick sponsored the New York City speed-camera legislation. Richard Gottfried was a co-sponsor.

An advocate held up a photo of her child, who was killed by a car, at a rally for speed cameras last year. Photo by Lincoln Anderson

In New York City, speed cameras are placed in school zones to protect students by photographing the license plates of speeding vehicles. The speed cameras can be operated from an hour before the school day to an hour after. The speed cameras can be operated during nights and weekends when school-related activities are taking place.

According to a 2014 study by the city’s Department of Transportation, school zones with speed cameras reported a 63 percent decrease in area speeding and a 15 percent reduction in crashes compared to those without it.

There are now 140 cameras installed in New York City. The bill passed this week would expand the speed cameras program to 750. There are roughly 1,700 schools in the city.

The law will need to be renewed by July 1, 2022. It was disgraceful that the speed-camera program became inoperative due to Republican stonewalling in Albany. Now the Democrats have control of both houses of the Legislature, an important program has been restored. This is just one example of why it was so critical to break the partisan gridlock in Albany. It only took a few months, with Democrats in control, to restore the cameras. Looks like the adults are back in control.

19th Precinct 5 on 1 An Upper East Side resident was pelted by ice balls after being attacked by a group of young men on the west side of Lexington Ave. On March 4, around 6 p.m., the 50-year-old victim was on his way home from work when he was grabbed and forcibly turned […]

An Upper East Side resident was pelted by ice balls after being attacked by a group of young men on the west side of Lexington Ave.

On March 4, around 6 p.m., the 50-year-old victim was on his way home from work when he was grabbed and forcibly turned around by a group of five men. One member of the group then began to punch him in the face. While the victim fought back, the assailant then scooped up ice from off the ground and threw it at him before running of westbound on E. 89th St. toward Park Ave.

The motive of the surprise attack is still unclear.

Sucker-punch plot

A random punch to the back was actually a premeditated set-up to steal a cell phone, according to police.

On March 9 at about 4:32 p.m., a 37-year-old man was using his Samsung Galaxy J6 while walking on the north side of E. 72nd St. when he was suddenly hit on the right shoulder from behind. When he turned around to see who had struck him, he was punched in the face, causing him to drop his cell phone.

The ski mask-wearing assailant then grabbed the Galaxy and sprinted to a getaway car, a sports sedan, and took off.

Van-tastic bust

Police said the caught a man on March 10 who was wanted for multiple truck burglaries.

Around 5:02 p.m., officers pulled over a man driving a van at 1166 Second Ave., near E. 62nd St., after a license-plate reader reported the vehicle as stolen. Officers then discovered that the driver was operating the vehicle with a suspended license and that the 2004 gray Nissan station wagon was wanted in connection with a burglary pattern.

The first burglary occurred Dec. 5, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. The driver of a commercial truck stopped at 353 Lexington Ave., at E. 40th St., to make at delivery but was unable to lock the truck’s back door. Once the driver returned to the parked vehicle, he noticed that a $670 LGTV, a $648 Sony TV and a $500 Samsung TV were missing from it.

The second burglary occurred Feb. 26, around 5:55 p.m. when a woman witnessed someone taking a package from the back of a DHL Express Delivery truck and placing it into his own truck. The package contained $2,295 worth of items inside.

20th Precinct

Church thief

A woman learned it only takes a second to be robbed, even in church.

On Feb. 27, at 11:31 a.m., a visitor at St. Paul the Apostle’s Church, at 8 Columbus Ave., at W. 60th St., knelt at the altar to pray, leaving her purse unattended on the pew behind her. When the 57-year-old worshiper turned around to get up and leave, she noticed her bag missing.

Along with the purse, the thief took off with the victim’s credit cards, Medicare card, keys, Social Security card, New York State driver’s license and some medication.

Police are still searching for the bag-napper. Luckily, a civilian brought the victim’s medication to the police Transit District station after finding it tossed tossed at the 59th St./Columbus Circle subway station.

Sudoku shocker

On March 1, a 62-year-old man from Hamilton Heights worked out at the Gertrude Ederle Recreation Center, at 232 W. 60th St.

Afterward, he headed to the locker room and sat in front of locker No. 98, where he had placed his belongings before exercising. But before opening the locker, he just sat in front the locker room to do some Sudoku puzzles.

After a few minutes of exercising his mind, he opened his locker to discover that he had lost more than his game of Sudoku. Locker No. 98 was unlocked and his cell phone and wallet were missing from inside.

A Florida woman was helped by a fellow Sunshine Stater when two kids tried to steal her purse at a coffee shop.

On March 9, at 6:05 p.m., a 20-year-old woman from Florida was having coffee with a friend at the Starbucks at 1841 Broadway, near W. 60th St. when two preteens grabbed her purse from off the table.

The young wannabe thieves ran off with the bag, but a good Samaritan chased the duo down and retrieved the stolen purse. The helper was a 49-year-old man from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The young troublemakers were arrested at the corner of Columbus Ave. and W. 60th St. It was the 12-year-old boy of the pair that snatched the bag, which had a blue Coach wallet, a Florida State ID, a Bank of America Visa debit card and $400 cash inside.

Smooth operator

Police are searching for man that stole a huge amount of face cream from a Duane Reade at 325 Columbus Ave., at W. 75th St.

On March 4, at about 9:57 p.m. a Duane Reade employee noticed a shopper place 25 Vichy skincare items, 60 La Roche Posay items and 39 Neutrogena products into a bag. The shopper then ran out of the store in an unknown direction, making off with $4,020 worth of skincare products.

Bed, Bath and…Hey!

A young woman had thousands of dollars worth of property stolen when she took her eyes off her purse as she shopped.

On Sat., March 9, at 7:30 p.m. a 25-year-old shopper at Bed, Bath and Beyond, at 1932 Broadway, at W. 65th St., set her Chanel purse in the front of her shopping cart. When she went to check out, she realized that her purse was missing along a dozen other pricey items.

The thief took off with the $3,000 Chanel purse, a $1,200 Chanel wallet, $100 worth of silver and pearl earrings, a $100 silver ring, $159 Apple airpods, four credit cards, a $500 key ring, $135 worth of gift cards, a $25 hairbrush, $10 MetroCard, New York State ID and $40 cash.

Bowlmor strike There was an assault inside Bowlmor Chelsea Piers, at Pier 60, on Sun., March 17, police said. Around 1:15 a.m., a female employee reportedly got into an argument with a woman. The beef turned physical when the woman punched the employee in the head. The worker suffered minor cuts to the left side […]

There was an assault inside Bowlmor Chelsea Piers, at Pier 60, on Sun., March 17, police said.

Around 1:15 a.m., a female employee reportedly got into an argument with a woman. The beef turned physical when the woman punched the employee in the head.

The worker suffered minor cuts to the left side of her head and had hair pulled out. She refused medical attention at the scene.

The attacker fled in an unknown direction. The suspect is described as black, 30 years old, 5-feet-4-inches tall, and with short straight hair. She was last seen wearing blue jeans and a black jacket.

Ran light

There was a drunk-driving incident on the evening of Fri., March 15, according to a police report.

Just after 11 p.m., an officer observed a man driving westbound on W. 14th St. without his headlights on while talking on his cell phone, who then ran a red light at Ninth Ave.

The man was stopped and given a Preliminary Breath Test, or PBT, which yielded a 0.10 result. Anything above 0.08 is considered legally drunk.

The man reportedly told the officer, “I only had one drink.”

He was taken to the Seventh Precinct on the Lower East Side and given a breathalyzer test, and had a 0.07 result. John Jackson, 38, was arrested for misdemeanor DWI.

Wouldn’t leave

A harassment violation was filed after a domestic dispute at the public housing building at 446 W. 26th St., between Ninth and Tenth Aves., according to police.

A woman told cops that on Tues., March 12, at noon, she wanted her boyfriend to leave her apartment. The man reportedly retorted, “I have a lot of money to do whatever I want to you.” This caused the woman, 52, to fear for her safety.

The man is identified in the police report as Mario Camacho, 55.

This guy stood over a female straphanger and exposed himself, according to cops. The woman snapped this pic of the perv. (Courtesy N.Y.P.D.)

E-train touching

There was a forcible touching incident on an E train at the Seventh Ave. and 53rd St. station, on Wed., Feb. 27, police said.

A woman said she was sitting on the southbound train at 4 p.m. when a 55-year-old man stood in front of her. He then made contact with the woman’s hand and arm while exposing his private parts. The woman took a cell-phone photo of the man before he exited the car at the same station.

The suspect is described as Hispanic, 30 to 40 years old, 5-feet-8-inches tall and 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing all dark clothing.

This allegedly sleazy straphanger grabbed a woman’s buttocks on the 4 train, according to police. (Courtesy N.Y.P.D.)

Grand Central touching

There was another recent forcible touching incident on the subway, this one on a 4 train as it approached Grand Central Station on Wed., March 6, around 9 a.m., police said.

In that case, a man approached a 29-year-old woman on the northbound train. He then grabbed the victim’s buttocks and fled the train when it pulled into the 42nd St. station. The suspect is described as black, around 6 feet tall, 200 pounds and in his mid-thirties.

Police say this woman swiped a man’s cell phone in the subway at 42nd St. and Eighth Ave. (Courtesy N.Y.P.D.)

Subway snatch

There was a robbery in the subway station at 42nd St. and Eighth Ave., on Mon., March 11, around 12:30 a.m., police said.

The victim, a 62-year-old man, was standing on the northbound platform when a woman snatched his cell phone from his hand and fled. The man chased the woman, who kicked him down and ran in an unknown direction.

The man was not seriously hurt.

Police released a surveillance image of the suspect, who is described as black, in her late teens or early 20s, 5-feet-10-inches tall and weighing 170 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, gray hooded shirt and multicolored Nike sneakers.

BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH | Attendees at Tuesday night’s congestion-pricing town hall at John Jay College were mostly skeptical that the plan to cut down traffic, save the subway and also the environment was the way to go. Among the officials and advocates at the town hall were Councilmembers Mark Levine and Helen Rosenthal; Nick Sifuentes, executive […]

BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH | Attendees at Tuesday night’s congestion-pricing town hall at John Jay College were mostly skeptical that the plan to cut down traffic, save the subway and also the environment was the way to go.

Among the officials and advocates at the town hall were Councilmembers Mark Levine and Helen Rosenthal; Nick Sifuentes, executive director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign; Ed Pincar, the Department of Transportation’s Manhattan borough commissioner; and Julie Tighe, executive director of the New York League of Conservation Voters.

The congestion-pricing plan would apply a surcharge to vehicles — which could vary depending on the type of vehicle, time of day and week — traveling below 60th St. in Manhattan.

Trucks and cars streaming off the Manhattan Bridge at Canal St. would face a surcharge if congestion pricing becomes law. (Photo by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech)

According to reporting from The New York Times, drivers using the Brooklyn Bridge and headed north of the F.D.R Drive past 60th St. would not have to pay the surcharge. At peak travel times cars could be charged $11.52 to enter the zone and trucks $25.43.

The anticipated $1 billion in annual revenue generated from the plan would then be used to finance improvements to the city’s public transportation system.

“How can the M.T.A. cry poor when I get on the darn M104 yesterday, and what do I see?” Marcell Rosenblatt asked during the town hall. “A moving screen has been added to the ceiling to tell me I have to give a seat to the elderly.”

Rosenblatt added that she and another rider agreed that the sign was a waste of money and wondered why the Metropolitan Transportaion Authority would invest in something so useless.

“And all we could think of was that somebody’s crony friend got a great deal,” she said.

Councilmember Levine said he understood the community’s concern.

“Indeed, the M.T.A. has in the past diverted revenue that should have belonged to transit to unrelated projects, most egregiously in one case to a ski resort Upstate,” he told this paper.

“I know everybody in Albany who cares about this issue is working to secure mechanisms to keep the money we raise in the mass-transit system,” he said.

Ed Pincar, D.O.T. Manhattan borough commissioner, assured that city and state officials are trying to address constituents’ many concerns relating to congestion pricing. (Photo by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech)

People at the town hall also were worried that the revenue generated would not be used in a smart way to improve the city’s subway. Some were also concerned that surcharges would cause car owners to avoid driving into the zone or cease using their vehicles altoghter, thus worsening the city’s parking shortage. Several who spoke were warned that the city’s disbaled community could continue to be marginalized.

“The disability community is all for getting money for mass transit — mass transit is very important,” said Phil Beder, a member of Disabled in Action of Metropolitan New York. “If congestion pricing is the solution that you come up with, then I would ask that accommodations be made for those of us who depend on our vehicles.”

Nick Sifuentes, executive director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, is among the advocates pushing the plan. (Photo by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech)

Beder added that only 25 percent of the city’s subway stations are handicap accessible, meaning many disabled people rely heavily on vehicles to move around the city. In short, the surcharge would be an unfair burden on an already burdened community, he stressed.

D.O.T. Manhattan Commissioner Pincar said regarding the concerns expressed at Tuesday night’s town hall that he had already been aware of them beforehand.

“We in the city and in the state are trying to work through the details of many of the questions we have heard, and to present them to our citizens and residents,” he said.

BY TEQUILA MINSKY | Gathered to mourn the victims of the horrific terror attack on Muslim worshipers in New Zealand, an interfaith assembly of dozens gathered Friday under the arch in Washington Square Park at 4:30 pm. Forty-nine people were fatally shot and 20 injured in the March 15 attack in New Zealand, which occurred while the victims […]

BY TEQUILA MINSKY | Gathered to mourn the victims of the horrific terror attack on Muslim worshipers in New Zealand, an interfaith assembly of dozens gathered Friday under the arch in Washington Square Park at 4:30 pm.

Forty-nine people were fatally shot and 20 injured in the March 15 attack in New Zealand, which occurred while the victims were at Friday (Jummuah) prayers.

Members of the interfaith vigil in Washington Square Park shared an emotional hug. (Photo by Tequila Minsky)

The speakers said their prayers went out to the families and loved ones of the victims, and that they had come together to show solidarity and express their grief over such a senseless act of violence. They said they were there to show that, “Together we are stronger than hate,” that no matter what faith community they belong to, they oppose hatred and violence in all forms.

Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, Lab/Shul’s Amichai Lab-Lavi, the Interfaith Center of New York and Muslim Community Network were among the participating organizations. Upper West Side Assemblymember Helen Rosenthal also spoke.

The same day, at 6 p.m., the Islamic Center of New York University held a vigil in the lobby of the Kimmel Student Center, on Washington Square South at LaGuardia Place.

BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH | “Never again, never again,” shouted Congressmember Carolyn Maloney in the midst of a crowd of elected officials, religious leaders and Upper East Side residents on March 17. The congressmember organized the gathering outside of the Upper East Side campus of Asphalt Green on Sunday in light of the several swastikas and slur […]

BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELL-DOMENECH | “Never again, never again,” shouted Congressmember Carolyn Maloney in the midst of a crowd of elected officials, religious leaders and Upper East Side residents on March 17.

The congressmember organized the gathering outside of the Upper East Side campus of Asphalt Green on Sunday in light of the several swastikas and slur found drawn inside the fitness center’s family locker room last week.

The crude drawings, made with a marker, were yet another reminder that acts of anti-Semitism are rising in New York City. To make matters even more somber, the gathering occurred just days after 50 Muslim worshipers were killed during a mass shooting by a white supremacist in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Rabbi Schneier of Park East Synagogue called anti-Semitism “a virus,” and recalled how his own family fled Austria and lost members in the Holocaust. (Photo by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech)

“We are here today to speak out, to speak out against anti-Semitism, to speak out against Islamophobia and to speak out against racism, to speak out against all hate,” Maloney declared after quoting Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran minister who was an outspoken critic of Hitler.

According to Maloney, in order to prevent large-scale acts of hate like the shootings at the Christchurch mosques and at a Pittsburgh synagogue last year, leaders must speak out against small acts of violence. If not, hatred will spread like a virus and allow another dark chapter in history like the Holocaust to repeat itself, she and others warned.

Like other speakers, Imam Qazi Qayoom, from Jackson Heights, Queens, mentioned the horrific mass shootings in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that had occurred just two days earlier. (Photo by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech)

All spoke of the importance of promoting peaceful relations between the city’s multitude of ethnic groups and religions.

But while the leaders spoke of peace, some members of the public who were looking on began to boo when Sharpton approached the podium.

“Remember Crown Heights!” some of them shouted. It was reference to the deadly rioting in Brooklyn in August 1991 that saw a Jew and another man killed after a rabbi’s car fatally struck a young black boy and seriously injured another black child.

While Maloney decried anti-Semitism and touted her newly reintroduced Never Again Education Act, some slammed her response to Representative Ilhan Omar’s comments that led to the recent Anti-Semitism and Bigotry Resolution in Congress. Many have criticised the resolution — which initially was focused on stamping out anti-Semitic rhetoric — as being too lax.

Reverend Al Sharpton called for unity. A few people in the crowd heckled him over comments he made 25 years ago during the Crown Heights riot. (Photo by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech)

In February, Omar responded to journalist Glenn Greenwald after he tweeted a comment about House G.O.P. Leader Kevin McCarthy threatening to punish Omar and another congressmember for criticizing Israel. Omar responded by tweeting, “It’s all about the Benjanmins Baby,” referencing a song by the rapper Puff Daddy.

Some took offense at Omar’s comment, believing it perpetuated a harmful stereotype about Jews.

In another tweet, Omar stated that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, funded Republican support of Israel. Omar apologized for her statements in a tweet but remained firm on her criticism of AIPAC’s lobbying.

A man in the crowd, who felt Congressmember Maloney — like other Democrats — caved by accepting a weak resolution on anti-Semitism, brandished a protest sign. (Photo by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech)

Shortly afterward, at a bookstore in Washington, Omar made a comment that some interpreted as her stating that Jewish Americans hold dual allegiance to the U.S. and Israel. It’s a trope that has been used to justify violence against Jews for centuries.

When asked if she had any plans on how to stop anti-Semitic rhetoric in the political sphere, Maloney reiterated the message of the day: Calling out anti-Semitism at the local level and educating people about it locally will help prevent it at the national level.

In the meantime, there has been no update on the investigation into the hateful graffitit that was scrawled at Asphalt Green.

First Precinct Bank rob no-go Police said there was an attempted robbery at the Capital One Bank at W. Broadway and Chambers St. in Tribeca on Mon., March 18, around 1:55 p.m. A bank employee said a man, 30 to 35 years old and 6-feet tall, handed a teller a note demanding cash. The […]

Police said there was an attempted robbery at the Capital One Bank at W. Broadway and Chambers St. in Tribeca on Mon., March 18, around 1:55 p.m.

This alleged bank robber gave it a try in Tribeca, but came away empty-handed, police said. (Courtesy N.Y.P.D.)

A bank employee said a man, 30 to 35 years old and 6-feet tall, handed a teller a note demanding cash. The clerk then reportedly walked away from the bank window and did not return. Realizing the employee was not coming back, the robber fled before police arrived.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the CrimeStoppers Web site at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.

7-Eleven assault

An employee at the 111 John St. 7-Eleven said he was assaulted Sun., March 10, when he tried to stop a group of four people from stealing candy bars.

This group of sweet tooths didn’t let a 7-Eleven employee stand in their way when they stole 20 candy bars, police said. (Courtesy N.Y.PD.)

The police report said the 43-year-old employee was punched in the face by a black man wearing a red sweatshirt and gray sneakers. The victim suffered a laceration above the eye. The group stole 20 candy bars worth a total of $40.

The other three shoplifters are described as a black man wearing a black jacket and black sneakers, a white Hispanic woman wearing light blue jeans and a black jacket, and a black man wearing a black sweatshirt and black sneakers.

Boutique thief

Police are searching for a man who stole a $2,200 women’s handbag from the Salvatore Ferragamo boutique inside Brookfield Place on Sat., March 2, around 4:15 p.m.

The man concealed the bag inside his black leather jacket before leaving the store, and the robbery went unnoticed for more than three hours. The suspect was last seen on security footage leaving through one of the Waterfront Plaza exits of the Winter Garden Atrium.

This guy made off with a pricey leather bag from a Brookfield Place boutique, according to cops. (Courtesy N.Y.P.D.)

Ides of March arrests

Two men were arrested Fri., March 15, for allegedly assaulting a motorist and damaging his vehicle on that exact day in 2015 near the corner of Trinity Place and Cedar St.

Police say Nicholas V. Fonseca, 20, struck the vehicle’s side-view mirror with a bike lock and then struck the driver with the same lock, causing the man’s left arm to bleed.

Billy J. Gonzalez, 24, is said to have kicked the 2004 yellow Ford van’s window, before shattering it with the same bike lock around 7 p.m. that evening.

Checkmate

Police arrested Destini Gray, 20, on March 14 for allegedly depositing a check that she fished out of a blue U.S. Postal Service mailbox sometime in August 2017.

Police said the check, valued at more than $14,000, was made out to Oxford Health Plans from the Goldstein, Rikon, Rikon and Houghton lawfirm. Gray is alleged to have made the deposit at the TD Bank at 182 Broadway, at John St., by signing the check, “Oxford Health Plans MGMT Inc.” She reportedly managed to swindle $13,500 by later making two separate withdrawals.

Bikini bust

An off-duty detective reportedly caught a man stealing packages from a U.P.S. and FedEx drop box in front of 46 Walker St. on Mon., March 11, around 3 p.m.

The detective said he called 911 after witnessing a man — identified as Benny Melo, 38 — removing packages with a bent clothes hanger. Melo was still at the scene when police arrived, and was arrested.

First Precinct Sneak-y thieves The Phillipp Plein boutique at 30 Mercer St. in Soho was reportedly robbed by three men on Thurs., March 14, around 6:15 p.m. Police said the men stole five pairs of sneakers worth a total of $2,515 from a shop display before fleeing in a vehicle police think could be […]

The Phillipp Plein boutique at 30 Mercer St. in Soho was reportedly robbed by three men on Thurs., March 14, around 6:15 p.m.

Police said the men stole five pairs of sneakers worth a total of $2,515 from a shop display before fleeing in a vehicle police think could be a Chevrolet Suburban with partial North Carolina plate number 3676. It’s unclear which direction the SUV headed afterward.

The first alleged thief is described as being a black male around 5-feet-8-inches tall and 150 pounds with brown eyes and short-cut black hair and wearing a red tracksuit and black sneakers.

The second man is described as black and around the same height and weight, and wearing a blue baseball cap, black sweatpants, a jacket and white sneakers. The last suspect is said to be about an inch taller than his two sidekicks.

Billionaire break-in

There was a burglary at the Billionaire Boys Club shop, at 7 Mercer St., around 2 a.m. on Wed., March 13, police said.

The place’s front door was reportedly forced open and 15 items worth a total of $1,500 were taken from the store’s rear clothing rack. The perpetrator, who is believed to have worn gray slacks and a black coat, is said to have fled north on Mercer St.

Sixth Precinct

Breaking news

Police are currently searching for a man they believe was involved in a string of burglaries in the Village.

The suspect is described as a black male roughly age 25 and 5-feet-10-inches tall, with an Afro-style haircut. He reportedly can be seen in security footage breaking into Hector’s Shoe Repair shop, at 11 Greenwich Ave., on Sat., March 16, shortly after 12:45 a.m. Police said the guy broke through the front door and stole $500 from the register before fleeing.

Police say this guy broke into a shoe store and then tried but failed to do the same to a coffee shop. (Courtesy N.Y.P.D.)

Sixth Precinct cops also believe he was involved in another attempted burglary that same night between 11:20 p.m. and midnight at Black Stone Coffee Roasters, at 502 Hudson St. The police report states the perpetrator and a partner tried breaking into the place by kicking the door several times before giving up. Their efforts left the coffeehouse door cracked.

The man alleged to be involved with both crimes was seen at both locations wearing Adidas track pants, a hooded sweatshirt with a jacket over it and white sneakers. The second alleged would-be burglar is described as being a black male with an Afro, wearing jeans and white sneakers.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted on the CrimeStoppers Web site at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting to 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.

Bleecker trio

Police have arrested a third man in connection with a mugging on Sat., Nov. 10, around 10:30 p.m., on Bleecker St. between Sullivan and MacDougal Sts.

Police think Kirk Syblis, 19, was one of the perpetrators who tackled two men, ages 29 and 30, to the ground and stole their wallets and cell phones in the incident last fall.

The police report states that one of the victims tried escaping but was told by his attacker, “I will shoot you.” The victims did not report having a gun pointed at them.

One of the victims reported multiple transactions on his credit card afterward. Neither victim reported any serious injuries.

Syblis was arrested Tues., March 12, for his alleged involvement in the mugging. Police previously collared Kahron Robinson, 21, and Mikal White, 21, on Wed., Dec. 19, and Mon., Feb. 11, respectively, for purportedly participating in the robbery.

Burlington ‘booster’

A man went on a shoplifting spree at the Burlington Coat Factory, on 14th St. across from Union Square, on Wed., March 15, just after noon, police said.

Police said Juan Fresneda, 59, tried to “boost” 10 undershirts, five electronic speakers and two men’s shavers by placing the goods into a store bag. A 33-year-old store employee said she tried stop the thief from leaving, but he pushed and shoved her away.

Cops said they found Fresneda and the $202 worth of items less than an hour later in the park and arrested him there.

Plunked with pint

An unruly patron at McKenna’s Pub, at 250 W. 14th St., was arrested for allegedly throwing a pint glass at a security guard’s head shortly before 1 a.m. on St. Patrick’s Day.

Police said Tyshawn Floyd, 25, threw the glass during an argument with the guard after being told to leave the premises. The 40-year-old employee was struck on the side of the head and suffered a large laceration to his left ear that required multiple stitches. He was treated at the Lenox Hill Greenwich Village emergency department.

Floyd was arrested at the scene

What a meatball

A delivery-truck driver dropping off food at The Meatball Shop, at 64 Greenwich Ave., on Mon., Feb. 11, around 6:30 a.m., found the place had been burglarized. The front door lock was damaged and two empty cash registers were on the ground.

Police subsequently arrested Alvin Walker, 55, on Fri., March 15, for allegedly breaking into and stealing $600 from the restaurant a month earlier.

BY NORTHWELL HEALTH | The Northwell Health Cancer Institute announced last week that it will serve as the presenting sponsor for the five Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Walks in the New York metropolitan area. Northwell will team with the Lustgarten Foundation in supporting community walks to increase awareness of the disease and promote early detection, treatment […]

BY NORTHWELL HEALTH | The Northwell Health Cancer Institute announced last week that it will serve as the presenting sponsor for the five Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Research Walks in the New York metropolitan area. Northwell will team with the Lustgarten Foundation in supporting community walks to increase awareness of the disease and promote early detection, treatment advances and innovative research.

The shared goal is to cure pancreatic cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of only 9 percent. More than 56,000 people will be diagnosed with the disease this year nationally and almost 46,000 will people will die from it.

A Lustgarten Walk will take place in Hudson River Park on Sun., March 31. The walks raise awareness about pancreatic cancer and funding for treatment and research for a cure.

The Lustgarten Walks offer patients, survivors and loved ones a day of hope, where everyone in the community can come together in the shared goal of raising awareness and funding for this incredibly challenging disease. The family-friendly walks, which include food, raffles and prizes from vendors, offer a sense of community to those who are battling this disease and a support system for survivors.

“With such low survival rates, there’s a tremendous need to collaborate with experts in this oncology specialty,” said Dr. Richard Barakat, physician-in-chief and director of the Northwell Health Cancer Institute and senior vice president of the health system’s Cancer Service Line. “We can only move toward a cure for pancreatic cancer through increased public awareness and collaboration on innovate research aimed at advancing more clinical trials for patients.”

Northwell will sponsor the following walks:

March 31, New York City: Pier 62 to Pier 63 in Hudson River Park. Meet at the carousel between W. 22nd and W. 23rd Sts. Participants will walk a 1.5-mile or 3-mile route to Pier 84, at W. 44th St., and back. The route is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Dogs are permitted in the park.

April 28, Westchester: Rye Playland Park

July 21, Brooklyn: Marine Park at Carmine Carro Community Center

Sept. 8, Staten Island: Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk

October 6, Long Island: Jones Beach State Park

“We are delighted to be partnering with Northwell Health for our walks in the New York metropolitan area,” said Kerri Kaplan, president and C.E.O. of the Lustgarten Foundation. “Not only do our walks raise critical funds, but they provide an opportunity for the pancreatic cancer community to come together for a day of hope and inspiration.”

David Tuveson, M.D., P.h.D., Lustgarten’s chief scientist and the director of the Cancer Center and the Lustgarten Foundation Laboratory at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), and his team are collaborating with Northwell physicians to create pancreatic cancer organoid models from patient tumors. Organoids, which were developed by the Lustgarten Foundation Laboratory at CSHL, are three-dimensional cell-culture systems that reproduce a patient’s tumor to test it repeatedly with different drugs.

Northwell and CSHL have successfully completed their first organoid research study. The next step will be to enroll patients in a nationwide organoid clinical trial in which Northwell will participate and that will be funded by the Lustgarten Foundation.

The Northwell Health Cancer Institute is in the early stages of developing a comprehensive pancreatic cancer center. The program’s major components will include surgical, radiation and medical oncology, interventional gastroenterology, pathology, radiology, endocrinology, palliative oncology, cancer genetics, nutritional counseling, social work and other services.

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, nearly 700 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians.

The Lustgarten Foundation is America’s largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research. Based in Woodbury, NY, the foundation supports research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer, facilitates dialogue within the medical and scientific community, and educates the public about the disease through awareness campaigns and fundraising events.

Since its inception, the Lustgarten Foundation has directed $165 million to research and assembled the best scientific minds with the hope that one day, a cure can be found. Of every donation, 100 hundred percent goes directly to pancreatic cancer research. For more information, visit www.lustgarten.org.

BY ROSE ADAMS | On Tues., March 26, the sixth annual NY Acker Awards will once again honor some of the best and brightest local contributors to the Downtown arts community. Among this year’s diverse group of recipients are writer Cynthia Carr, who will receive the Candy Darling Award; director Larry Fessenden; squatter artist Andrew Castrucci; […]

BY ROSE ADAMS | On Tues., March 26, the sixth annual NY Acker Awards will once again honor some of the best and brightest local contributors to the Downtown arts community.

Among this year’s diverse group of recipients are writer Cynthia Carr, who will receive the Candy Darling Award; director Larry Fessenden; squatter artist Andrew Castrucci; Trigger, formerly of the Continental; Andrew Berman, director of the Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation; musicians Chris Iconicide and Jesse Malin; writer Michael Carter; and Lilah Mejia, of Why Not Care, who will be honored for Community Support.

The flier for this year’s Acker Awards.

Produced by documentarian Clayton Patterson, the Acker Awards recognize avant-garde artists, writers, musicians and community organizers that enliven the Downtown arts scene. While the event’s name pays homage to the late feminist writer Kathy Acker, it’s also an archaic Dutch word that means “a visible current in a river.”

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards will go to Crystal Field, the co-founder and artistic director of Theater for the New City, and Jam Herman, an arts and culture writer who runs a blog called “Straight Up” on artsjournal.com. Forty artists, writers, filmmakers and community leaders in all will receive awards — all of whom were nominated by other community members.

Artist Anthony Zito has once again done portraits for this year’s posthumous Acker Award winners on flattened found paper coffee cups.

Each awardee will receive a pizza box filled with CDs, art and memorabilia contributed by the other Acker recipients. Each box will also include a crushed coffee cup decorated with the portrait of a late Downtown arts hero. Artist Anthony Zito has been scavenging and painting these found cups for the Acker Awards ceremonies since 2016.

In addition to the recipients’ speeches, the ceremony will feature performances by local musicians Gryphon Rue and Keith Patchel. This year’s sponsors are Jump into the Light, Groupe Collective at 198 Bowery, and Overthrow Boxing, of 9 Bleecker St.

The NYC Acker Awards will be held Tues., March 26, at Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. (between Ninth and 10th Sts). Doors open 6:30 p.m., and event starts 7 p.m. Admission is free.